Abstract: The hydrogenation of benzene dicarboxylic acid mono and diesters to corresponding cyclohexene dicarboxylic acid mono and diesters by carrying out the hydrogenation in the active and effective presence of alkalimetal amalgam and an alcohol in a substantially anhydrous environment. The hydrogenation reaction medium should be a mixture of the above referred to alcohol and an aromatic hydrocarbon such as toluene.

Abstract: Porous silicic acid having a specific surface of about 50 to 1000 m.sup.2 /g and having an anion content below the chemically determinable limit of detection is made by hydrolyzing methyl or ethyl silicate or polymethyl or polyethyl silicate with about 70 to 120% of the stoichiometric amount of water with moderate stirring.Hydrolysis activators such as acids or bases may be present as well as alcoholates of oxides of transition metals which then appear in the end product. Alcohol may also be present to facilitate hydrolysis.The products are characterized by marked purity and their specific surface can be closely and reproducibly controlled.

Abstract: In the production of sodium aluminum hydride by reaction of an aluminum chloride etherate with sodium hydride in an inert liquid dispersing agent, the improvement which comprises using as said sodium hydride reagent coarse-grained sodium hydride which is first ground in said dispersing agent to a particle size less than about 12 microns; preferably the inert dispersible agent is tetrahydrofurane or a lower alkyl ether of a lower alkylene glycol, whereupon the resulting sodium aluminum hydride dissolves in the reaction medium.